Dr. Kimberly West, a science teacher at McConnell Middle School, had a vision to bring the innovation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to the country of Ghana after her visit in 2022. Dr. West says she fell in love with the students and the atmosphere created by students and teachers who were excited to learn together. She founded her non-profit, Teach STEM Africa, upon her return and has since provided educators with quality training, and students with resources that will be crucial to their success. 

     “One of the things that I love about teaching science is that it is innovative and has the power to transform students’ thinking by exposing them to new ideas about the world around them. STEM encourages critical thinking skills, creativity, and problem-solving skills that are vital to students in all phases of their academic journey and postsecondary life,” Dr. West shares.

     After working with Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) for eight years, Dr. West is familiar with leading others. She has extensive experience guiding a student-teaching resident and preparing them for their career as an educator through GCPS’ Human Resource Department’s Student Teaching Resident Program. The program partners with local colleges and universities to provide experience through student teaching opportunities. Rebecca Carlisle, GCPS Assistant Director of Recruitment and Retention, describes Dr. West as encouraging, inspirational, and generous.

     “She welcomed her resident with open arms, even meeting with the student over the summer to make sure the resident felt welcomed and understood that this was their classroom, not just Dr. West’s classroom,” Carlisle says. “Though Dr. West has only been at McConnell Middle for a short time, she has clearly made a tremendous impression, to be known not only as an effective classroom teacher but also as someone people look to for guidance,” Carlisle continues.

    Bringing her talents to Ghana, Dr. West assisted in training 60 teachers during their professional development. Her non-profit recruits U.S.-based educators to join their cohort and travel to Ghana to host engaging sessions that cover new science standards, elementary math and science activities, aerospace engineering, and teacher mental health. 

     The future of Teach STEM Africa is bright, as Dr. West is recruiting her next cohort of educators for 2025 and adding more classroom visits and training sessions.